My wife and I are coming to the Louisville vs Clemson game. Never having visited your fine city I'd like to seek your advice on where to stay and what sites to see. We're planning to fly in on Tuesday and will fly home on Friday as we have to attend a wedding on Saturday. We are in our mid 60's, lite drinkers, and in above average health. Any thoughts would be welcomed, and thanks in advance.
Where to stay & what to do?
- Thread starter tgrjoe71
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Downtown, Marriott, or Courtyard, Sealbach, Brown, Galthouse. It is a quick cab ride to the stadium. Plenty of restaurants downtown. Riverfront, Louisville Slugger Museum, Yum Center, Baseball stadium all easy walks.
Would recommend that you rent a car to get around. I would recommend one of the downtown hotels - The Seelbach is really nice but the Brown, Galt House, Marriott and Hilton are also fine. The JB Speed Art Museum on the UofL campus. about three miles south on Third Street from downtown. The Churchill Downs Museum is another half mile further south and within view of the football stadium. The Muhammad Ali Museum is downtown as is the Louisville Slugger Museum. You could spend half a day walking up and down Bardstown Road in the Highlands. There are a lot of shops and small restaurants. On game day I would suggest parking at Churchill Downs and walking to the stadium. Get a real early start. With it being a work day traffic will be a bear. Last year's Thursday night game against Florida State was the second worst traffic for a home game I can remember. The only time worse was when they ran an ironman triathalon on UK game day and the course went right by the stadium.
Hope you have a great time. I really enjoyed my trip to Clemson last fall. If you sit in the Clemson section you'll be just two sections over from me. I think you'll like our stadium, especially for a big night game.
Hope you have a great time. I really enjoyed my trip to Clemson last fall. If you sit in the Clemson section you'll be just two sections over from me. I think you'll like our stadium, especially for a big night game.
Since you are only staying over night, I would suggest taking a cab to the Hilton Garden Inn about 3 miles from the airport and walking distance to the stadium. There is also the Cardinal Hall of Fame restaurant & bar next door to the Inn and a Cracker Barrel about a block away
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fred's recommendation to rent a car is a good idea. Can't imagine being in Louisville for three days and trying to easily get around without a car. Rentals are cheap here--I rent cars routinely--and Louisville is a relatively easy city in which to park a car. Just make sure you have a GPS device handy...
First of all, if you guys are treated only half as well as we were at Clemson, you will have great trip.
I agree with those suggesting staying downtown; there are a number of lodging options. Most of the "should see" stuff is downtown (H&B Museum, YUM! Center, Ali Museum, Frazier Arms Museum, etc.). Those are all "walk to" attractions if you are staying downtown. Lots of restaurants downtown ranging from pricey steakhouses and $$$$ dining spots to "high end bar food" spots, many around the YUM! Center. FWIW, the 3 classic special occasion type dining spots are The English Grill, The Oak Room (located in historic hotels) and Vincenzo's. If you are in a car, there are many good restaurants along Bardstown Road and in some of the suburban centers.
There is a casino located across the river in southern IN (Caesar's Horseshoe) but that would be car ride from downtown (I have no idea about shuttle service between downtown hotels and Horseshoe). Kentucky is famous for bourbon and if you have a car you could make a half day trip to the Jim Beam Distillery if that sort of thing appeals to you.
Since it is an easy walk from Churchill Downs (i.e., Museum, track will be dark) to the stadium I would visit there on game day. The tailgate scene is not anywhere near as attractive as Clemson but you will likely find many tailgaters who are more than willing to share a beer and a burger. You can easily cab or bus to Churchill Down/Stadium area from downtown but I honestly don't know about cabbing back in town after the game. My first thought is to walk over to the Cardinal Cafe and have a drink while the crowds clear out then call a cab from there. (At Clemson, I was parked close to the Esso Bar and spent an hour or so in there waiting for traffic to clear...and it never did!)
The Cardinal Cafe is a decent little restaurant located on the grounds of the Hilton Garden Inn. The Hilton Garden Inn is easily the best accommodation in the immediate stadium area but other than the Cardinal Cafe there is little in the way of restaurants in that entire area. If you stay at the Garden Inn the walking distance dining choices are the Cardinal Cafe, Cracker Barrel and a few fast food places.
Hope you have a great trip (except, of course, for the ball game).
Peace
I agree with those suggesting staying downtown; there are a number of lodging options. Most of the "should see" stuff is downtown (H&B Museum, YUM! Center, Ali Museum, Frazier Arms Museum, etc.). Those are all "walk to" attractions if you are staying downtown. Lots of restaurants downtown ranging from pricey steakhouses and $$$$ dining spots to "high end bar food" spots, many around the YUM! Center. FWIW, the 3 classic special occasion type dining spots are The English Grill, The Oak Room (located in historic hotels) and Vincenzo's. If you are in a car, there are many good restaurants along Bardstown Road and in some of the suburban centers.
There is a casino located across the river in southern IN (Caesar's Horseshoe) but that would be car ride from downtown (I have no idea about shuttle service between downtown hotels and Horseshoe). Kentucky is famous for bourbon and if you have a car you could make a half day trip to the Jim Beam Distillery if that sort of thing appeals to you.
Since it is an easy walk from Churchill Downs (i.e., Museum, track will be dark) to the stadium I would visit there on game day. The tailgate scene is not anywhere near as attractive as Clemson but you will likely find many tailgaters who are more than willing to share a beer and a burger. You can easily cab or bus to Churchill Down/Stadium area from downtown but I honestly don't know about cabbing back in town after the game. My first thought is to walk over to the Cardinal Cafe and have a drink while the crowds clear out then call a cab from there. (At Clemson, I was parked close to the Esso Bar and spent an hour or so in there waiting for traffic to clear...and it never did!)
The Cardinal Cafe is a decent little restaurant located on the grounds of the Hilton Garden Inn. The Hilton Garden Inn is easily the best accommodation in the immediate stadium area but other than the Cardinal Cafe there is little in the way of restaurants in that entire area. If you stay at the Garden Inn the walking distance dining choices are the Cardinal Cafe, Cracker Barrel and a few fast food places.
Hope you have a great trip (except, of course, for the ball game).
Peace
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Thanks very much for all the suggestions, we are really looking forward to visiting with all you Cards fans.
I feel there should be a big "Pardon Our Mess" sign when you drive downtown on the interstates. The intersection of I-65/I-64 is in a reconfiguration due to the new bridge construction. Expect delays on the downtown interstates especially during work-week rush hours.
Plenty of good ideas above on what to do while you are here. However, I would not recommend staying downtown. I generally would, but not for someone coming in for a football game. You need to stay near the stadium, at least, Thursday night. Sure, it will be easy to get a cab to the game, but traffic will still be a son of a ***** because it is a weekday which means it could take a long time to get there if you leave at 4:30 or later. Further, it is not easy to catch a cab at the stadium to get you back to your room. You will be much happier Thursday afternoon and night if you can walk to and from your hotel room near the stadium. There are a couple of good ones, but the Hilton Garden Inn is the best.
A little dated from 2011 but still some good information.
http://texanmarktailgate.blogspot.com/2011/07/louisville-tailgate-and-visitors-guide.html
http://texanmarktailgate.blogspot.com/2011/07/louisville-tailgate-and-visitors-guide.html
I've never been to Louisville. I live in Paducah and it's always been more convenient to go to Nashville or St Louis.
Been thinking about taking the family up that way and taking it in. My girls are 10 and 9. How's the zoo, is it good for an all day outing? Any museums that are kid oriented?
Been thinking about taking the family up that way and taking it in. My girls are 10 and 9. How's the zoo, is it good for an all day outing? Any museums that are kid oriented?
Bill, sorry about the crap you were taking from some in the other thread; just gotta be thick skinned on these boards! Stuff for kids off the stop of my head....
Louisville Zoo is a nice "smaller" zoo (nothing like St. Louis) and good for half day walk around. Science Museum downtown is pretty kid oriented. Our local amusement park (Kentucky Kingdom) is up and running. That's easily a full day, especially if you do the water park as well. As mentioned the Mega Cavern (old underground quarry) is definitely different. Big 4 bridge walk is a pedestrian bridge over the Ohio to the IN shore with good views of the new bridge under construction. The Rauch Planetarium is pretty interesting. Belle of Louisville is a restored 100 year old steamboat offering short river cruises. Maybe a Riverbats baseball game (AAA ball) or even a day at the track if you visit when Churchill is running.
Hope you visit and have fun.
Peace
I'm pretty thick skinned, and I expected it, and honestly it's part of what makes it fun. But I appreciate the kind words.
The only zoo we've been to is St. Louis, and it was almost too much. We're thinking about getting away for a weekend soon so hopefully I'll be able to hit up some of the spots you mentioned.
The only zoo we've been to is St. Louis, and it was almost too much. We're thinking about getting away for a weekend soon so hopefully I'll be able to hit up some of the spots you mentioned.
Went to the Lou Zoo a couple of days ago. I hadn't been in 25 years. I didnt recognize much of it. The gorilla exhibit was awesome. Its amazing how many interesting ways gorillas can use poo. As earlier stated, easily a full half-day.
If you drive up the Western KY Pkwy to I-65, stop in Shepardsville at Kart Kountry. Its a fantastic go-cart track with dumper boats and arcade.
An adult must see if you like bourbon is the Evan Williams Experience. Also the new Hilton Garden Inn Downtown is a great hotel with an fantastic rooftop restaurant and bar called 8 UP.
There are several hotels within a short drive or walking distance from the stadium. They range from the modest (Hilton and that ilk) to more upscale (Crowne Plaza). Downtown there are many to choose from, but one that is rated one of the best in the USA is 21C.
If you do get a rental, it is a short drive (under 50 miles from downtown) to the bourbon trail south of Louisville in Bullitt county. On the way back you can visit Bernheim Forest and arboretum to complete a pleasant half-day outing.
Back in town, you should not miss taking an evening stroll across the Ohio river via the Big 4 bridge. It is a former railroad bridge that has been restored to a walking bridge by a joint effort of Kentucky and Indiana. The views are spectacular and there always seem to be many folks there, so you will not be worried about your personal safety.
The JB Speed art museum is undergoing a massive renovation and will probably be closed. Nearby, on the Louisville campus, is one of the castings of the famous sculpture, The Thinker, by August Rodin. According to Wikipedia, there are 28 cast sculptures throughout the world. The first cast sculpture can be found in front of Grawemeyer Hall on the University of Louisville Belknap Campus in Louisville, Kentucky. Made in Paris, it was first displayed at the St. Louis World's Fair in 1904 and was then given to the city. This sculpture was the only cast created by the lost-wax casting method. If you stay near the stadium, the statue is within a couple of miles and makes a great photo op.
Many of the other suggestions made by other posters are good choices and you should be able to find plenty of things to fill your day-and-a half of free time before the game.
Enjoy your visit and we hope you come back.
If you do get a rental, it is a short drive (under 50 miles from downtown) to the bourbon trail south of Louisville in Bullitt county. On the way back you can visit Bernheim Forest and arboretum to complete a pleasant half-day outing.
Back in town, you should not miss taking an evening stroll across the Ohio river via the Big 4 bridge. It is a former railroad bridge that has been restored to a walking bridge by a joint effort of Kentucky and Indiana. The views are spectacular and there always seem to be many folks there, so you will not be worried about your personal safety.
The JB Speed art museum is undergoing a massive renovation and will probably be closed. Nearby, on the Louisville campus, is one of the castings of the famous sculpture, The Thinker, by August Rodin. According to Wikipedia, there are 28 cast sculptures throughout the world. The first cast sculpture can be found in front of Grawemeyer Hall on the University of Louisville Belknap Campus in Louisville, Kentucky. Made in Paris, it was first displayed at the St. Louis World's Fair in 1904 and was then given to the city. This sculpture was the only cast created by the lost-wax casting method. If you stay near the stadium, the statue is within a couple of miles and makes a great photo op.
Many of the other suggestions made by other posters are good choices and you should be able to find plenty of things to fill your day-and-a half of free time before the game.
Enjoy your visit and we hope you come back.
I would love to check out the bourbon experience, unfortunately I'm a recovering alcoholic so that's probably not a good idea for me.
I would like to take the family downtown and soak i. The big city surroundings.
I would like to take the family downtown and soak i. The big city surroundings.
Actually my suggestions were for the person starting this thread, tigerjoe, who stated they were lite drinkers and would be flying in Tuesday for a Thursday game.
For the persons flying in on Tuesday and leaving Saturday I would book downtown for Tuesday and Wed. nites. Nice restaurants and lots to see and do nice hotels ( I would recommend Brown or Seelbach). For Thursday nite I would book close to the stadium so traffic is not a nightmare for you and you can enjoy game nite without hassle. Know this is a little more trouble but I think it would work well for you. Hope this helps and welcome to the Ville
Great suggestion on staying close to the stadium on game night. My wife and I always reserve a hotel room on Crittenden Drive for the late night games and the UofL-UK game.
I have simple pleasures, I always like going down to the river at either Cunningham's or the Captain's Quarters and having a cold beer and a cod fish sandwich on rye. It really depends on what you like Louisville has a lot to offer recreational or nightlife. You could go to the underground zip line or the underground bike trails both are really impressive. There is plenty of nightlife as you have seen from other posters.